Casting frames or molds



June 30, 1970 s. BLONDE cAs'rme mamas on MOLDS Filed Dec. 9. 1966 [III FIGS

United States Patent Int. Cl. B281! 7 /30, 7/18, 7/20 US. Cl. 249-184 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A casting frame or mold for providing an opening in a concrete floor to be cast, which comprises a first pair of side members disposed opposite each other in a relatively fixed spaced relation, and a second pair of side members disposed opposite each other across the ends of the members constituting the first pair and slidably connected thereto at the corners of the frame or mold for transverse movement towards and away from each other. Each side member of the first pair is provided on the outside of the frame or mold with a shield member, adapted to facilitate release from the hardened concrete.

The present invention relates to casting frames or molds for providing an opening in a structure to be cast from concrete, and is more particularly concerned with a casting frame adapted to be placed on the shuttering member normally used for casting a concrete floor, to provide in the floor an opening having a square or rectangular shape for example for a chimney, chute, lift shaft or the like, the frame having a height slightly in excess of the thickness of the floor to be produced.

Heretofore, metal frames or wooden frames have been used for this purpose, and their sides are lifted separately after they have been disconnected from each other. These frames take a long time to assemble and disassemble and are dilficult to handle.

Moreover in modern constructions in which the walls as well as the floors are produced by casting concrete floor openings of large dimensions, possibly extending between two walls are frequently desirable. It may be desirable to place a temporary floor on the casting frame for the floor opening in order that relatively heavy machines can travel thereon; it must be possible to locate such temporary floor close to the surface of the floor to be cast without undue obstruction by projections of the frame.

Furthermore the base parts of the walls for the next higher story are preferably cast at the same time as the floor, and in the case in which the opening in the floor extends from wall to wall, there must be provided a wall section of a certain height by which vertical alignment between superimposed walls can be effected. Finally it must be possible to remove the casting frame without dismantling the frame and without danger for the operator charged with its removal.

These requirements cannot be fulfilled by the conventional wooden or metallic shuttering frames and the present invention aims at avoiding these disadvantages.

The present invention consists in a casting frame or mold for providing an opening in a concrete floor to be cast, comprising a first pair of side members disposed opposite each other in a relatively fixed spaced relation, and a second pair of side members disposed opposite each other across the ends of the members constituting the first pair and slidably connected thereto at the corners of the frame or mold for transverse movement towards and away from each other, each side member of the first pair being provided on the outside of the frame or mold 3,517,906 Patented June 30, 1970 ice with a shield member adapted to facilitate release from the hardened concrete.

A casting frame or mold according to one embodiment of the invention is characterised in that it comprises two pairs of opposite side members connected to each other at the corners of the casting frame or mold, being adapted to be held in the concrete floor to be produced by elements which are the side members of the one pair temporarily embedded in the concrete, but which can be with drawn therefrom in a substantially horizontal direction, said side members being adapted to be moved towards each other for removing the casting frame or mold after appropriate locking devices have been released, the side members of the pair being relatively fixed and each of the side members of the other pair having a shield for assisting the release of the casting frame or mold from the hardened concrete.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment the side members adapted to be moved towards each other comprise lifting rings or eyes, intended to be subjected to oblique pull to assist the movement of these side members towards each other.

The ends of the side members intended to be moved towards each other may be fixedly connected to slider members which are slidably attached to the relatively fixed members, locking devices being provided for loading these slider members in the normal operative position thereof in which the displaceable side members are in the extended position away from each other.

The locking device for each slider member may advantageously be constituted by a locking pin which engages in appropriate holes provided in the side member and the slider member.

Each slider member may be outwardly protected by an extension of a shield member'constituting the exterior lateral surface of each side member having a variable length due to the slider members, these extensions permitting the mutually movable side members which have a fixed length to be moved towards and away from each other.

Each locking pin may be a conical end which in the locking position extends beyond the periphery of the frame, so that it can be embedded in the concrete to locate the frame therein, yet can be rapidly disengaged.

The side members adapted to be moved towards each other may have conical projections which project outwardly from the frame to be temporarily embedded in the concrete, their conical shape being provided in order to facilitate their disengagement from the concrete.

With these and other objects in view which will become apparent in the following detailed description, the present invention, which is shown by example only, will be clearly understood in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical section through the casting frame along the lines A-A of FIG. 2;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the frame; and

FIG. 3 is a vertical section through one side of the casting frame along the lines BB of FIG. 2.

The casting frame or mold is constituted by twoside members 1 and 2 of fixed length and two side members 3 and 4 of variable length. In the present example the frame or mold comprises additionally a centrally disposed eleme-nt 5 intended to strengthen the frame and having a structure similar to the structure of the side members 3 and 4. Each of the side members 3 and 4 is constituted by an I-shaped steel member 6, which is protected on its outer side by a flat plate 7 in the form of a downwardly and inwardly inclined or tapering shield member which provides a smooth surface sufliciently inclined to facilitate disengagement of the side member from the set concrete when the frame is pulled in an inward direction. The web of the I-shaped member 6 of the side members 3 and 4 comprises at each end a slider receiving member in the form of an axial tube 8 adapted to receive a slider member in the form of a rod 9 fixedly attached to the respective side members 1 and 2. The rod 9 can slide in the tube 8. However, locking cross pins 11 are provided, each of which traverses corresponding holes provided in the respective rods 9 and the tube 8 as well as in the plate 7 and by means of which the rod 9 can be locked in its extended position. The end 12 of the pin 11 is adapted to project from the surface of the plate 7 in order to constitute an anchorage in the concrete and has a conical shape in order to facilitate the extraction of the pin 11 from the set concrete.

The side members 1 and 2 are not provided with shield members. In order to facilitate their anchorage in the adjacent concrete to be produced, projections are provided each of which is constituted by a bolt or screw 13 and a conical nut 14 the conical shape of which is provided to facilitate its disengagement from the adjacent concrete. The side members 1 and 2 are furthermore provided with lifting rings or eyes 15.

In order to prevent the concrete from entering the tube 8, the plate 7 is extended beyond each end of the I-shaped member. This extension permits normal sliding of the rod 9 in the tube 8.

In use the frame is disposed on the floor shuttering, the side members 1 and 2 are moved outwardly to the fullest extent, that is to say, so that the pins 11 can be pushed through the holes of the tubes 8, the rods 9 and the shield members 7. Optionally the side members 1 and 2 may be provided with plates 7 of increased height. The frame is then located in the position indicated on the left in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Thereafter concrete is cast round the frame, and when the concrete has set the locking pins 11 are withdrawn and lifting or removed tackle is attached to the lifting rings or eyes 15 in such manner that an oblique pull is exerted thereon as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 1. As a result the side members 1 and 2 move towards each other and take up the position illustrated on the righthand side of FIGS. 1 and 2. Owing to the shield members disposed on the outside of the side members 3 and 4 the frame as a whole can be raised easily and thereafter used again in the manner described above.

Handling this frame is much easier than handling devices used heretofore, and appreciable time can be gained therewith in building operations.

Modifications may be made to the embodiment described above by incorporating mechanical equivalents without leaving thereby the scope of the present invention which is shown by example only.

What I claim is:

1. A casting frame for providing an opening in a concrete structure to be cast, comprising a first pair of side members disposed opposite each other in a relatively space relation,

a second pair of side members disposed opposite each other across the ends of said first pair of side members and slidably connected thereto at the corners of said frame for displaceable movement towards and away from each other, respectively,

each side member of said first pair of said side members being provided on the outside of said frame with an outwardly inclined shield member, adapted to facilitate release from the hardened concrete,

said side members being arranged to define an opening of slightly greater height than the thickness of the structure to be produced,

a slider receiving member attached to each end of said first pair of side members in the longitudinal direction thereof,

a slider member fixedly attached to the adjacent ends of said respective displaceable side members, and

extending so as to be received by a respective adjacent slider receiving member, a 7

whereby said displaceableside members are guided for mutual displacement on said first pair of relatively fixed side members, and

means for locking said slider members in a position in which said displaceable side members are remote from each other.

2. The casting frame, as set forth in'claim 1, wherein said locking means for each said slider memberis'constituted by a locking pin which engages in appropriate holes provided in each said fixed slider receiving member and in said slider member.

3. The casting frame, as set forth in claim 2,wherein each locking pin has a conical end which can extend beyond the periphery of said frame to be embedded temporarily in the concrete to hold the frame therein, and is adapted to be easily disengaged from the set concrete.

4. The casting frame, as set forth in claim 1, wherein each slider receiving member is externally protected by a lengthwise extension of said shield member constituting the external lateral surface of said first pair of said side members,

said extension permitting free movement of said displaceable second pair of said side members.

5. The casting frame, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said mutually displaceable second pair of said sidemembers include projections which can be temporarily embedded in the fresh concrete to hold said frame therein, and which can be easily withdrawn from the set concrete, when said side members of said second pair of side members are displaced towards each other for removal of said frame.

6. The casting frame, as set forth in claim 5, wherein said projections are conical projections of said second pair of side members and extend outwardly from said second pair of side members, and

the conical shape being provided for facilitating disengagement from the set concrete.

7. The casing frame, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said mutually displaceable side members are provided with lifting rings permitting an oblique pull out of the plane of said frame to be exerted on the displaceable members to assist their movement towards each other.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,137,932 5/1915 Vickers 249-186 1,373,877 4/1921 Fifield 249-186 1,700,889 2/1929 Heltgel 25--128 X 1,724,035 8/1929 Mead I 24950 2,650,252 11/1953 Avril 25-128 X 2,864,150 12/1958 Henderson 249-184 X 3,162,901 12/1964 Robertson 18-45 3,360,232 12/1967 Vardenhenvel 249191 1,616,357 2/1927 Engstrom 249-189 X 2,111,577 3/1938 Thomas 24939 X 2,683,913 7/1954 Honnigford 249- 39 X 1,891,764 12/1932 Henderson. 2,131,474 9/ 1938 Henderson. 2,416,559 2/1947 Wilson 249- X 2,514,805 7/1950 Seymour 25-121 2,536,377 1/1951 Lachaise 25-121 FOREIGN PATENTS 293,165 7/ 1928 Great Britain.

J. HOWARD FUNT, JR., Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R; 249'39 

